Love Letters to the Dead

Ava Dellaira

Dellaira's debut is a heart-wrenching novel about a freshman English assignment to write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses to write to deceased celebrities like Kurt Cobain, Amelia Earhart, and Judy Garland, all of whom died abruptly, just as her older sister May did. In her letters, Laurel talks about starting high school, new friendships, falling in love, learning to live with her broken family, and most importantly, about the abuse she suffered while May was supposed to be watching her. Although Laurel never turns in a single letter to her teacher, they allow her to work through her emotions and come to terms with May's traumatic death.